Unrequited

Sort of a nothing chapter, but eh.
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When I woke up the next morning, it was snowing. Growing up in the City, I rarely saw snow. I thought that the snow that fell in the highlands surrounding Hogwarts was lovely. That snow had nothing on this. These flakes were purest white and fat. They flowed down like feathers drifting on the wind. The sound was muffled, making the world entirely silent. It was still early, not even day, and I yawned and crawled back into bed. His soft snores lulled me back to sleep and I felt a contentment that I\'d never felt before.
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The sun streaming in the window woke me up, along with the chill in the air. I sat up and noticed that the fire had died down in the night. I was in my room at home but there was something different about it. There was a sweet, warm smell in the room that I didn\'t associate with the blue and beige draperies and carpeting. I looked over and saw a feminine leg dangling outside of the covers. Ah yes. I\'d brought Hermione home to the manor.

Only her shapely calf and the top of her bushy head were peeking above the covers. I could hear her breathing in soft little snores that sounded like puffs under the sheet. I peered at the clock that stood on the mantel. It read \"past time to get up.\" So get up I did.

Shrugging on a robe, I went to open the windows. Peering out, I saw that there was a rather thick blanket of snow on the ground. The sun reflected too brightly for me to look much longer. So thinking, I closed the window and went to pick out clothes.

Ah. Clothes. Hermione was just about grown out of hers. I hated the few maternity robes I had seen on other witches. They were dowdy and sack-like. My wife had a rather cute shape. Just a perfect little bump rounding out of her petite body. Of course her lovely breasts had grown more so and I licked my lips thinking about them. I wanted to show them off - show *her* off.

Perhaps I should just let her continue to wear Muggle clothing. They were obviously far more appealing and revealing than robes. Although the thought of peeling those layers from her body was tempting as well. I took out a pair of dark rust coloured trousers and a grey shirt. The trousers were a favourite pair of mine. I never wore them at Hogwarts for fear of the ribbing I would get because they were \"Gryffindor red\". Just the thought of putting them on gave me a small frisson of pleasure.

Hermione hummed in her sleep and turned over. I was reminded of the fact that I was rummaging around a bit too loudly and I did not want to wake her. I tipped to the bathroom and eased the door closed. When I finally emerged, clean and smelling of sandalwood, I found her sitting up in bed enjoying the last of a plate of scrambled eggs and starting on a rasher of bacon.

\"Hallo my husband,\" she smiled at me cheerily.

\"Hallo my wife.\" I leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek. \"Is there more where that came from?\" I queried about her breakfast.

\"The elves brought an enormous tray. It\'s over on the occasional table under the window.\" She dug into the golden waffles that were swimming in butter and syrup.

\"Ah.\" I went over and began lifting the domed covers from the dishes. Selecting kippers, eggs, bacon and toast, I took the loaded plate along with a cup of tea to the small oval table that sat in front of the fireplace.

\"Well. That was a perfectly satisfactory breakfast.\" Hermione pushed the bedtray down and leaned back against the pillows. \"What are we to do today?\"

\"Christmas shopping, of course. Then I thought we could begin to outfit the nursery and get you a few togs for your rapidly expanding waistline.\"

She raised an eyebrow at me. \"You\'ve been giving this a bit of thought, haven\'t you?\"

\"Logical course of action. The elves will decorate the house as they\'ve been doing for years. I have to get gifts, I\'m assuming you do as well and you were complaining about only having one pair of trousers to wear.\"

Hermione tilted her head to the side. \"You\'re right. Let me roll out of bed and dress and we can be on our way.\" She scooted out from underneath the covers and swung her legs over the side. Her pink bunny slippers hopped from under the bed and onto her feet.

She got up and walked over to the armoire where her things were stored. I watched with pleasure as she pulled out a black v-necked jumper and black twill trousers. Hermione laid them on the bed next to my clothing. She grinned and snatched up my trousers.

\"Red, Draco?\" She shook them at me, crowing with delight.

\"Hush your mouth, woman. Those are my favourites.\"

She ran her hand over the herringbone tweed fabric. \"I must admit that they are very nice. I should like to have a pair of those myself.\"

\"Perhaps I\'ll have a pair made for you as a Christmas gift.\"

\"Would you really?\" Her eyes lit up and I found it was easier and easier to be nice to her. The rosiness of her cheeks and her obvious delight made it hard to even conjure up a cross thought. It was the holidays. Peace on earth, Goodwill towards all men. That sort of thing. I indulged in it.

\"I would indeed. I think your cute little bum would be adorable all wrapped up in burgundy coloured tweed.\"

\"What cheek, talking about your pregnant wife like that!\" she scolded with a smile.

\"Hermione, if you don\'t go and get dressed, we\'ll end up in the bed completely undressed.\" I leveled her a menacing look from over the rim of my teacup.

\"I\'m going, I\'m going.\" She sailed into the bathroom and shut the door.

I finished my breakfast in silence and dressed in contentment. I was in the process of selecting socks and shoes when she came out, her hair wrapped in a towel.

\"Do you mind that I\'ve used your robe?\" she queried. The black velvet was far too long for her and trailed on the ground.

\"Not at all. I forgot to instruct the elves to have one put in there for you.\"

She gave a sniff of laughter. \" \' Anything you want and don\'t see, just ring for it?\' \" she quoted.

\"Quite right.\"

\"Must be nice.\"

\"It is, so you\'d better get used to it.\"

\"If I must.\" She unwrapped the robe and pulled on a pair of black panties. Rowr. Down boy, I scolded myself.

I watched her put an engorgement charm to the cups of the black bra she\'d bought and slip it on. Then went the black knee socks, no holes this time, thank Merlin. The jumper which had a delightfully low neckline. And on went the trousers. Hermione took the towel from around her head and I took a perverse pleasure in watching her dress. Her hair went streaming in damp curls down her back.

\"Ugh.\" She sailed over to look at herself in the cheval glass that stood next to the armoire. \"I should cut my hair. It\'s more trouble than it\'s worth.\"

\"Don\'t you dare.\"

\"You actually like it?\"

\"I thought I told you never to cut your hair.\" I was pissed off. Her hair was one of the things I lov- no, don\'t think it, old boy. That\'s a trap I\'d do well not to fall into.

\"Well, if you\'re making it an order.\" She had that aggravated face on and gave me a mock salute.

\"Just a forceful request, *wife*.\"

\"Anything to please you, sir.\" She put on that awful cockney twang I hated. \"Is there anything else sir requires?\" I saw her flick her wand over her head with a ruthlessness that resulted in not just curled hair, but straightened as well. I deduced that was not the desired effect from the look of disgust she cast herself.

\"Oh, bollocks.\" Hermione frowned at her reflection. \"Let\'s just go before we spoil a perfectly lovely morning.\"
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We strolled down Diagon Alley in near silence. No snow here in the City but plenty of cold. We could make out the hustle and bustle of holiday shoppers on Charing Cross just beyond the confines of the wizarding shopping district.

We stopped in front of Ollivander\'s. The old man had returned after the fall of the Dark Lord and was back in the business of turning out the best wands this side of the Atlantic.

\"I\'m in need of a new wand,\" she said. \"This one has just about had it. And it\'s been a bit wonky ever since I got pregnant.\" She pulled it out and she was right - the bit of wood had seen better days.

\"Consider it an early Christmas gift.\"

\"I couldn\'t. Besides, I have plenty of my own money, Draco.\"

\"Let me do this for you, Hermione.\"

Her eyes softened. Good. \"Oh, if you insist.\"

\"And I do. Come on.\"

We went inside and Ollivander got that gleam in his eye that presaged weirdness. I stuck my hand in my pocket and gripped the handle of the eleven inch holly wood tightly. I wouldn\'t have him upsetting Hermione in her condition.

\"Well, well. What have we here?\" I saw his strange little eyes look Hermione up and down. She began to fidget slightly.

\"I must say, I was disappointed not to have been invited to the wedding.\" Ollivander\'s manner was slightly reproving.

\"Yes, well,\" I responded. \"We didn\'t invite many people outside of Hogwarts.\"

\"Pity. What can I do for you today?\"

As if he didn\'t know. Hermione found her voice, finally.

\"I\'m in need of a new wand, Master Ollivander.\"

\"Ah. Twelve inches of vine wood, dragon heartstring, correct?\"

\"Yes.\"

\"Well, let\'s see what we can dig up for you among the dragon heartstrings.\"

He left the counter and began rummaging around the stacks of wands. After a few minutes, he came out with a long, slender box.

\"Try this. Thirteen and a quarter inch alder wood, the string came from a Hungarian Horntail.\"

He took the lid off of the box as he spoke. Handing the wand to Hermione, she gave it a swish and flick but all that happened was that dull coloured sparks shot from the end.

\"Alright. Not that one.\" Ollivander snatched the wand back and shoved it into its cushion. He slid another box into view.

\"Try this. Another thirteen incher, vine. This one is almost a replica of the one you\'re replacing.\"

I watched my wife take a deep breath and reach into the container. She gave this length of wood a flick. At least she was able to turn the inkpot into a mouse, but the mouse had a quill stuck into its back

\"Better but not quite.\" He eyed Hermione again. \"Not to be ah, indelicate, but how far along are you?\"

\"Actually or magically?\" She said ruefully.

\"Either way.\"

\"I\'m due in early to mid-May.\"

\"I wonder...\" Ollivander said, musingly. \"Be back in a tick.\"

He went flying back to the storeroom this time. Hermione and I looked at each other, puzzled. We didn\'t have time to wonder long - he was back, as he said, in a tick.

\"Try this one. Fourteen inches, willow wood, a combination of dragon heart and phoenix feather.\"

\"Rather complicated wand, isn\'t it? I looked askance at the long, dusty box Ollivander had unearthed.\"

\"You have to account for the mother as well as the child in cases like these, Mister Malfoy.\"

\"Ah. Go on, then, Hermione. Try it out.\"

She picked up the wand with a raised eyebrow. Immediately I could see that this was the right one. Her whole body lit up and with a graceful tap of the tip on the mouse it turned back into an inkpot with a shining white quill.

\"Brilliant.\" Ollivander was pleased to the tips of his toes. \"Now, would you be needing a new wand?\"

\"No. Mine is doing wonderfully, thank you.\"

\"Of course. I\'ll refurbish this one and you can pick it up after you\'ve given birth.\"

\"I can\'t continue to use this wand?\" Hermione\'s face was a little disappointed. She\'d grown a bit attached to the wand already.

\"Oh, you can, but it wouldn\'t work as effectively.\"

\"Alright. Thank you, Mister Ollivander.\"

\"Not at all. Now about the bill...\"

\"Yes, yes,\" I said impatiently, pulling out a bag that clinked and bulged with galleons.

\"That would be a grand total of thirty-five galleons.\"

\"So little?\" I was astonished.

\"The wand itself was thirty of those galleons.\" He replied with a smirk.

\"Ah.\" I opened the money bag and counted out the required number of golden coins.

\"Do let me offer my congratulations. I wondered if there would be someone to carry on the Malfoy traditions.\" Ollivander said with an oily grin.

\"Those traditions have changed a bit, Mister Ollivander. Do owl us when her other wand is ready.\" I turned up my nose at the strange man and hustled Hermione out of the shop. She came without protest.

\"Ollivander has always given me the creeps.\" She said, turning her wand over in her hands.

\"Same here. I remember getting my first wand. He was full of glee at selling Potter the twin to Voldemort\'s wand.\"

\"Was he?\" I saw faint surprise bloom across her rosy cheeks. \"I wonder...\"

\"Wonder what?\"

\"Nothing. Voldemort\'s gone and that\'s all water under the bridge at any rate.\"

\"Very true. Now, let\'s speak of more pleasant things, such as lunch.\"

\"Mmm. Lunch. Delightful. I\'ve a terrific craving for clam chowder.\"

\"Do you? I think I could be persuaded to have a bowl as well.\"

I steered us in the direction of the Cauldron. The pub may be a bit rough, but they have always served excellent food. Tom signalled a barmaid who seated us at a back table.

\"Would you like some starters? Chips? Drinks?\" She pulled her wand out of her enormous top-knot and began making notations on a small pad of parchment.

\"A large cuppa with milk and two sugars. A bottle of butterbeer for me.\" I looked at Hermione. \"Will that suit?\"

\"Add a plate of chips to that, ketchup and mayonnaise on the side.\"

The barmaid thanked us and left. The plate Apparated in front of us, piled high with fresh steaming crisp wedges of potatoes. Small cups of the requested sauces rode sidecar on the plate. I watched in disgust as Hermione picked up a chip and delicated swirled it in the ketchup and the mayonnaise before taking a large bite.

\"Ketchup and mayonnaise? Together? How vile!\"

\"I picked up the habit while on holiday in Amsterdam one year.\"

\"Well, they\'re *Dutch* for Merlin\'s sake! I hope you didn\'t pick up any other habits while you were over there.\"

\"Oh, don\'t get on your little high horse, Draco. We all have adventures.\"

I smirked. \"Don\'t we just?\"

\"Yes, we do.\" A pause. \"I consider this an adventure.\"

I raised an eyebrow. \"A good one, I hope.\"

\"Fair to middling.\"

\"At least you\'re honest.\"

\"At least.\" She gave me a small, sad grin.

\"I think we should begin thinking of names.\"

\"Gosh, you\'re right.\" She took a sip of the tea. \"I\'ve always been partial to old-fashioned names like Emily and Charlotte.\"

\"Those might suit. What if it\'s a boy?\"

\"I like Julian.\"

\"Good solid name. But we Malfoy\'s have always wanted a name with some flair.\"

\"Isn\'t that the truth? Draco isn\'t all that common.\"

\"No, it isn\'t.\" I took a chip and poked it in the one bit of untainted ketchup. Chewing thoughtfully, I said, \"How about Orion?\"

\"You\'ve got to be joking!\" She laughed around a mouthful of chips.

\"Why not? I had an uncle Sirius. Besides, it\'s not as if \'Hermione\' is all that common, dear wife.\"

\"You\'ve got a point.\"

\"Valerian?\"

Her eyes lit up. \"I rather like that. Valerian Malfoy.\" She rolled the sound of it around her mouth. \"Good name, that. I think we\'ll keep it.\"

\"That\'s taken care of.\" The barmaid came back.

\"Ready to order your entrees?\"

\"Two bowls of clam chowder. Hermione, would you like anything else?\"

\"A huge salad. I\'m in the mood for something green.\"

\"Any sort of dressing?\"

\"Just Italian. Oh, can you crumble some feta on top?\"

\"Right you are, mum. Be back in a tick.\"

\"Feta. Goat cheese! Yuck.\"

\"Shut up, Draco. I happen to like Feta. It tastes good.\"

\"It won\'t make you taste good once you\'re done.\"

\"That\'s what they invented cleaning charms and mints for.\"

\"I suppose.\" The waitress came back with the soup, salad, and a basket of bread and butter. \"Refill on your drinks?\"

\"Please,\" I said to her.

\"A mug of apple cider, if you will.\" Hermione piped up around a mouthful of soup.

\"Right away.\" The waitress was gone and back with our drinks. She made herself scarce.

\"Question, Draco.\"

\"What?\"

\"What if the alien is a girl?\"

\"That\'s a thought.\" I settled back into my chair. \"Malfoys usually throw boys first.\"

\"True, but there\'s been nothing usual about this pregnancy, so I think it\'s best to plan for any contingencies.\"

\"Allegra?\" The name popped into my head.

\"That\'s Muggle allergy medicine.\"

\"I still like it. And you Muggles misappropriate everything anyway.\"

\"Allegra Malfoy...\" she rolled the name around her mouth. \"I rather like it myself.\" Hermione made a face.

\"What that about?\"

\"She sounds as if she\'ll be very blonde and very spoilt.\"

I laughed. \"She will be, love. She will be.\"